Emergency-exit for suspension-railway cars.



P. O. BUTLER 8: S. 0. ROGKMAN. EMERGENCY EXIT FOR SUSPENSION RAILWAY ems. APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1909. v 945 748. Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

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F. O. BUTLER & S. G. ROOKMAN. EMERGENCY EXIT FOR SUSPENSION RAILWAY was.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1909. 945,748. Patented Jan. 11,1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FTGE.

FRANK O. BUTLER AND SOREN C. BOOKMAN, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

EMERGENCY-EXIT FOR SUSPENSION-RAILWAY CARS.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, FRANK O. BUTLER and Sonnx C. ROCKMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emergency- Exits for Suspension-Railway Cars, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved emergency exit forsuspension railway cars, the object of the invention being to provide an improved ladder or stairway, which will be normally concealed from view in the floor frame of the car, but which can be readily operated to permit the ladder or stairway to lower to a position to allow passengers in the car to escape to the ground whenever desired. With railways of this character, stations would be provided for the normal entrance and exit of passengers to and from the cars, but in the event there should be a fire at a station, or for any other reason, it should be expeditious for the passengers to leave the car before reaching a station,'it would be advisable to have an emergency exit, and one that can be quickly and easily operated, and with this end in view our invention was devised, and will now be described in detail.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction, and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a view in side elevation illustrating our improvements. Fig. 2, is a view in cross section through the structure illustrating the car in end elevation. Fig. 3, is a fragmentary view in cross section through the car. Fig. 41, is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the car showing the stairway or ladder-in normally elevated position. Figs. and 6, are enlarged detail views of the ladder or stairway.

1 represents a suspension railway car, and 2 is our improved emergency ladder or stairway, which is pivotally supported at one end as shown at 3, between longitudinal channel irons 4. in the car frame, to which the cross rod is secured, and constitutes the pivot 3 of the parallel bars 5 of ladder 2. These bars 5 are connected at regular intervals by steps 6, and railings 7 for the ladder are Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 17, 1909.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

Serial No. 496,387.

connected by pivot links 8- with the bars 5, any suitable means may be provided for holding the railing in raised position.

A hook 9 is provided on the free end of the ladder, and is connected by a cable 10 with a motor driven winch 11, located below a seat 12 in the car 1. The entrance to this emergency stairway orladder is through an opening 13 in the car platform, having a trap-door 14, and 15 represents a door providing an entrance from the car onto this platform, and it will be noted, that the trapdoor let is arranged to swing away from the door 15, so as not to interfere with the egress of the passengers.

The operation is as follows: As shown in Fig. 4;, the ladder or stairway is normally elevated, and inclosed within the floor frame work of the car. hen for any reason it is desired to use this emergency exit, the winch 11 is permitted to turn, so as to lower the free end of the ladder to the ground. The trap-door 1% is then opened and the passengers may pass from the car through the door 15 and outlet 13 and down the latter to the street below. When it is desired to elevate the ladder, the winch is turned by its motor, so as to wind the cable 10 and raise the ladder to its normal horizontal position in the car floor frame.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from our invention, and hence we do not restrict ourselves to the precise details set forth, but consider ourselves at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a suspension railway car, a ladder hinged at one end to the car and positioned normally within the floor frame of the car, and means for raising and lowering the free end of the ladder.

2. In combination with a suspension railway car, a ladder pivotally secured at one end to the car, and normally positioned within the floor frame work of the car, a

winch in said car, and a cable connecting said winch with the free end of said ladder.

3. In combination with a suspension railway car, a ladder pivotally secured at one end to said car, and normally positioned within the floor frame work of the car, a seat in the car, a motor and winch within the car below said seat, and a flexible connecting device between said winch and the free end of said ladder.

4. In combination with a suspension railway car, a ladder pivotally secured'at one end to the car, a winch in the car, a flexible connecting device between said winch and the free end of said ladder, railings for said ladder, and links pivotally connecting said railings with said ladder.

5. In combination with a suspension railway car, a platform at one end of said car, an opening in said platform, and a trapdoor for said opening, of a ladder pivotally secured to the car floor adjacent said open ing, a winch in said car, and a flexible connecting device between said winch and the free end of said ladder.

6. In combination with a suspension railway car, a hinged ladder located in the bottom of said car.

7. In combination with a suspension railway car, a ladder hinged at one end to the car, and positioned normally within the floor frame of the car.

8. In combination with a suspension railway car, longitudinal floor frame bars, a ladder, and a pivot pin connecting one end of said ladder with said frame bars.

9. In combination with a suspension railway car, a ladder hinged at one end to the floor frame of the car, and means for normally holding said ladder in the floor frame.

10. In a suspension railway car, the combination with longitudinal bars, of a floor frame, a ladder, a pivotrod or pin connecting one end of said ladder with said floor frame bars, and means in the car connected with the free end of said ladder, whereby the ladder may be raised and lowered.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK O. BUTLER. SOREN C. ROCKMAN. Witnesses R. H. KRENKEL, J. A. L. MULHALL. 

